Winter 2011 - St. Joseph's Academy

O n Campushonors...athletics...studentsSJA Serves the Dear Neighbor at ChristmasSt. Joseph’s Academy students, facultyand staff brightened the holidays for lessfortunatemembers of the Baton Rougecommunity through a variety of Christmasoutreach projects. Throughout themonth of December, co-curricular clubsleticteams, academic departments andstaff members “served the dear neighbor”by adopting families, sponsoringtoy drives and sewing Christmas dressesfor orphaned girls in Haiti, among otherefforts.The adopt-a-family initiative is sponsoredeach year by Catholic Charities ofthe Baton Rouge Diocese. Among thegroups adopting families were theol- - Counseling Center, Photography ClubOther outreach projects were under-SJA, Catholic High Embark on Annual D.C. TripTwo hundred four students from St.Joseph’s Academy and Catholic HighSchool spent Thanksgiving week inWashington, D.C., as part of the twoschools’ annual trip to the nation’s capital.Accompanied by 20 chaperones, thegroup, comprised mostly of juniors, departedon Sunday, November 21, aboardurday,November 27.Among the highlights of the weekwere an illuminated night tour of the nammemorials and visits to the White seum,The National Archives, Library Vernon. Visitors also toured the Capi-taken by the SJA/CHS Drama Club (collectingfor the Toys for Tots drive); NationalHonor Society (collecting toys forSt. Vincent de Paul); Beta Club (Toys forTots); Best Buddies (collecting toys forGrandparents Raising Grandchildren);and the basketball team, which servedmeals at the St. Vincent de Paul DiningRoom the week of December 20.she was proud of her freshmen theologystudents for their compassion and generosityin adopting a family for Christ-we bought every single item on theirwish list.’ She was right,” Ruggiero said.“Of course, Santa, elves and companyhad the most fun packing up my white parents’ Suburbans. After studying thecorporal works of mercy, the girls had areal head-hand-heart experience of whatBarbie dolls, bicycles and other toys were under the treesof underprivileged children this Christmas, thanks to thegenerosity of the SJA community.it means to care for the needs of the gift comes to us at Christmas than rec-tunatein our community.”Academy juniors posed at the FDR Memorial with theWashington Monument in the distance. The students tookpart in the annual SJA-CHS trip to the nation’s capitalover the Thanksgiving holiday.On Thanksgiving Day, the group enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner at the hotelfollowed by a performance of ShearMadness week came to a close on Friday with avisit to Arlington National Cemetery,where students participated in a wreathlayingceremony at the Tomb of the Un- 1988 CHS graduate killed in the September11 attacks on the Pentagon. chosen to lay the wreath at the Tomb ofthe Unknowns was a moving experience. resentmy dear SJA. Being in Arlingtonwas a chilling experience, seeing the realityof how many soldiers fought anddied for America.”